Gunheart
Fisherman
So natural, religiously unkind...
Posts: 28
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Post by Gunheart on Mar 6, 2012 15:32:28 GMT -5
So, my Japanese skills are barely enough the figure out simple interjections, so I thought I'd start a thread where I could ask questions and we could all discuss the show.
I'm up to episode 6, and I have to ask...is there something wrong with Johnny? I ask because the way his mother puts him in what appears to be a hospital bed after it turns out that medicine bottle was broken. Furthermore, what was his dad said after finding Gretel in the bed? Or why Patty doesn't alert anyone?
Normally I find it fairly easy to understand what's going on, but I was a little confused in this episode.
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Post by Philip on Mar 6, 2012 18:42:41 GMT -5
Nah, there's nothing wrong with Johnny. His mother tells him it's his study time, but he says he can't study right now because he's going out to find a herb (to cure Bobby's arm). She says the only time Johnny has ever defied her was when he was sick, so he must be sick now!
Johnny's family situation is somewhat peculiar. (but I can kind of relate to a lot of it)
Dr Harrison figures out that Johnny has gone out to find the herb and that Gretel has taken his place in bed. He tells his wife that Johnny is sound asleep (while trying hard to keep a serious face).
I really love the whole part with Gretel pretending to be Johnny under the covers... only because he wants so bad for Nancy to bring him some muffins. Easily one of the most hilarious moments of the series! XD
Feel free to ask whatever questions you may have! God knows I love to talk about Maple Town! =)
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Gunheart
Fisherman
So natural, religiously unkind...
Posts: 28
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Post by Gunheart on Mar 6, 2012 20:11:52 GMT -5
Thanks a lot. That really clears everything up. I plan to keep posting as I go. I'm amazed at just how much slapstick they can get out of Gretel on what's clearly a limited budget. That's just something I've always loved about Japanese TV animation: even if they can't have fluid movement, then at the very least they'll make it look dynamic as possible. I think one of my favorite touches was one where he was actually off camera back in episode five, where Patty and Bobby are talking after having just gotten back everything Gretel stole. The last we see of Gretel is him hanging under the bridge with just silverware, and then Patty's interrupted as we hear him screaming in the distance before splashing down. Priceless. One funny thing I also couldn't help but notice was how, back in episode two, Diana's design is a bit different from the final one. Besides the dress, her hands are yellow like her ear and tail tips. It's also probably just the animators of one particular episode, but I recall screencaps of one in the 30s where her eyes were drawn much larger and cuter than usual. The effect was simply adorable. And speaking of Diana, I just finished episodes 7 & 8. You know, at first I was worried that the one where they form their own patrol group was going to end on some out-of-place sexist lesson about how girls can't be forest rangers or some such. The truth is that Giulietta plays full Renegade, smashing Gretel's house and leaving him to drown. Why did I ever doubt this show? As for episode 8, it's nice to see Diana finally get some character development. I keep forgetting that for most of the first part of the series she borders on outright antagonist. I also forgot that Carl's sequels of delight are probably one of the most hellish noises ever put to media. It's absolutely hilarious. As is Hans' epic sneak attack. Also love how expressive the foxes are in this episode in general. Just for the record, I've actually seen much of the series before through the Japanese video tapes, but that was a very long time ago.
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Post by Robert26194 on Mar 7, 2012 10:21:51 GMT -5
Nice to see a topic with questions, so I have 2 questions, too. 1. In beginning of episode 44 of the Palm Town Chapter there is a scene with Pattys familiy, which is packing there furniture. Are they moving to another town? I don't understand other languages, only german and english.
2. Why I never see a scene with kisses and love? There are many chances like weddings. And love isn't a bad thing for childs.
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Post by Philip on Mar 7, 2012 14:48:03 GMT -5
One funny thing I also couldn't help but notice was how, back in episode two, Diana's design is a bit different from the final one. Besides the dress, her hands are yellow like her ear and tail tips. It's also probably just the animators of one particular episode, but I recall screencaps of one in the 30s where her eyes were drawn much larger and cuter than usual. The effect was simply adorable. If you look at the model sheets here, you can see that there's a line drawn around Diana's wrists, meaning her hands were meant to be a different color. They probably decided to change it early so she would match the rest of her family. (And if you look at Gretel's model, you can see that his hands where also meant to be a different color, but you never see this in animation). To me, episode 8 is the first really strong episode of series! There are so many shows that have a character who act like Diana, but very few bother to show us why they act like they do. You really get to understand Diana in this episode. And the shot of her drawing ripped to shreds on the bed... so heartbreaking... 1. In beginning of episode 44 of the Palm Town Chapter there is a scene with Pattys familiy, which is packing there furniture. Are they moving to another town? I don't understand other languages, only german and english. 2. Why I never see a scene with kisses and love? There are many chances like weddings. And love isn't a bad thing for childs. 1. Yes, you guessed correctly. I have only watched this episode in Italian, I didn't understand much of what was said, but the visuals make it very obvious that the Hope-Rabbit family is moving to a new town, and coming to take Patty with them. It's an ok ending, but feels a lot like a rehash of the last episode of Maple Town. I wish they had done something a little more original for the last episode of the series ever. 2. I think one reason is that this is deep down a Japanese show, and the Japanese are not so big on showing signs of affection in public. Also, the show focuses mostly on the children, which may be another reason the topic of love and kisses doesn't come up much. It can seem strange from a western viewpoint, that even when there is a wedding in the episode, we don't see the couple kiss.
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Gunheart
Fisherman
So natural, religiously unkind...
Posts: 28
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Post by Gunheart on Mar 7, 2012 16:55:02 GMT -5
Right, just saw episodes 9 and 10.
9 is definitely weird. It's set up like, for lack of a better description, a "true beauty is on the inside" and a "don't be jealous" episode. But Pururin and Diana's character arcs are pretty much dropped after the play starts to focus more on Otto's embarrassment at the play's execution. I was really expecting/could have sworn I remembered Diana intentionally sabotaging the play more...
And episode 10 has one of the best sequences in the show. Of course, I'm referring to the chase scene at the end. Though I have to admit...I think I can see where Saban got the notion about Diana's weight: anyone would look kind of chubby in that dress. It's just so...bulky. Loved the part with Gretel striking superman poses as he was thrown from the car.
One fun thing I noticed is that Judy being a squirrel seems to come up quite a bit with how she's animated. Most of the characters could theoretically be replaced with humans without much issue, but that part where Judy climbs Gretel's arm and onto the scooter is one of those rare moments that says "yes, the characters are animals".
Update: Episode 11, too. Funnily enough, this was the only episode I remembered of the American run. And even then, all I remembered was something about a gingerbread house and the frame the episode closed on. Of course, I somehow remembered it with a lot of groans and cries of displeasure, and assumed everyone accidentally knocked it over or something (nope, just Bobby trying to eat the heart on top). Kind of funny how it mostly recycles the premise of episode 5, though I have to say I like this one better overall. A shame there are no cat children on the show proper, because the designs in the flashback were adorable.
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Post by Philip on Mar 8, 2012 16:37:03 GMT -5
#9 is one of the weakest of the series in my opinion. It has a lot of funny parts to be sure, but the whole episode is complete silliness and seems to lack any focus. I guess it can be nice with a random episode like this once in a while, but I sure wouldn't be as big a fan if every episode was like this.
Good point about Judy's movements! You don't see a lot of things like that. The only other similar examples I can think of is Mel (the Kangaroo baby) jumping around, and Gretel howling at the moon.
Episode 8 and 10 both have a pretty similar set-up, as does episode 5 and 11. I guess it was hard to think up new, interesting ways to introduce the characters, but it works out pretty well. I like Dolly and Lala a lot. Wish they had been featured more later in the series.
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Gunheart
Fisherman
So natural, religiously unkind...
Posts: 28
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Post by Gunheart on Mar 13, 2012 3:26:35 GMT -5
Finally saw some new ones. Just 12 and 13.
First, I would like to sat that I agree 9 is one of the weakest. The lack of resolution to the character arcs just leaves the whole thing rather unsatisfying.
Now, for 12. I have to say that of all the adult characters in the series, Mireille easily has my favorite design. So it's nice to see her get a focus episode. At the part where she uses those fighting moves is easily one of the funniest moments if for no other reason than the fact that it comes completely out of nowhere. Also gotta love that part where, before the kids know who's coming on the train, Bobby is actually armed. Strange to see that Diana is "one of the team" for several scenes in this episode without comment, given her last appearance was still an antagonistic one.
Episode 13 is a cute one. Kind of funny how the mayor comes off as more of a sort of "joke character" before this episode, so it's nice to see him get some development. That bit with Gretel breaking out crying at the end was just priceless, particularly with that weird tangent of him running off and writing a letter of his own.
Update: Add in 14, 15 and 16, too.
Well, 14's funny, but I can't say I really like Otto that. He's fine as a one-shot joke character, but I guess he's a bit too cartoonish, when Gretel already fills that role and is a bit more likable.
15's adorable. Lola is kind of strange in that her design is, at least to me, one of the single worst on the show. But in terms of characterization and mannerisms, she's definitely one of the cutest. Also fun to see how this is probably the first episode in the entire series where Gretel isn't an antagonist.
Also, is it just me? Or does episode 16 looks like one of those episodes that they blow the excess budget on? It just looks a lot more detailed and expressive than the average episode.
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Post by Philip on Mar 18, 2012 14:36:51 GMT -5
Mireille's karate moves is definitely a scene I'll never forget! And the sounds she makes are awesome no matter what language you watch it in! XD
Episode 16 does indeed have some nice looking animation. Episode 23 is also one to look out for in that department. Although the animation is generally very uniform and good quality for all of the episodes. (for Maple Town that is, can't say the same for Palm Town).
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Gunheart
Fisherman
So natural, religiously unkind...
Posts: 28
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Post by Gunheart on Mar 22, 2012 2:22:26 GMT -5
Up to 19 now.
Okay, am I right in assuming that Oscar in 17 was an orphan? It seemed obvious, but I just wanted to make sure. One thing is for certain, though: Patty's forced smile is one of the most hilariously horrifying things ever. She looked far less menacing when she wasn't trying to hide her anger...
18 is sort of weird after three episodes in a row where Gretel wasn't really an antagonist. Heck, after 16 in particular, seeing him tackle and lasso Patty is kind of jarring. To be honest, I'm not really sure I liked this episode all that much, since as far as I know the photographer never shows up again.
19 is one of those things that reminds me why this show is so adorable. It's not about sugary sweetness, it's about a little beaver with a disproportionate mallet hammering stakes down for a dam after the previous one was washed away. Though I'll admit, Cynthia's sudden outburst when Patty was trying to show her how harmless and fun water could be was almost funny.
I'll admit, there are times I find it hard to believe this show actually existed. "Deceptively unique" is one way to describe it. You think the idea of a show about a rural town filled with animal people would have been used more often, but the closest I can think of are Koala Boy Kokki (The Adventures of the Little Koala), the American Sylvanian Families cartoon and the Get-Along Gang (and for the record, the Nelvana pilot was kind of awesome), and none of them are really all that similar, especially not to Maple Town. The part where Cynthia runs off into the shallows and starts crying is just that sort of dramatic moment you don't really see in this sort of cartoon.
Add up to 21 to the list. And...I'll admit, this is one of those episodes I can't quite understand. Okay, I get the general gist of the episode, but the climax kind of eludes me.
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Post by Philip on Mar 29, 2012 12:28:19 GMT -5
I think I was a bit confused too the first time I watched this episode, but it's actually pretty straightforward: Drake acts as if he is an actual pirate and that Bracket is a villainous character who is on his trail. (SPOILER WARNING!! ) At the end it is revealed that Drake is infact a writer of pirate novels (including Mique's favorite) and Bracket is his publisher, who was just concerned because he hadn't heard from Drake in a while. And about Oscar... if I understand the dialogue correctly, his mother has passed away (pretty obvious from the visuals too), his father is still alive but too busy with work to look after him. That's why he's being sent to live with his grandmother.
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Gunheart
Fisherman
So natural, religiously unkind...
Posts: 28
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Post by Gunheart on Mar 29, 2012 14:50:48 GMT -5
Thanks a lot. That really clears everything up.
One other thing about the Oscar episode: why did the mayor think it was a good idea to gather all the adults on a train and leave the children unsupervised?
22 also had one moment that confused me: okay, I get the idea of the episode, the Bobby's mother thinks he stole candy, and the kids think Gretel stole both the candy and their pancakes, but it turns out to be a mother bird. That part I get. What I don't quite get is...why the parents are okay with them all going to that island by themselves. I understood the idea of Bobby running away from home, so it's sort of weird to see the parents actually present to help them leave.
Diana's introduction in the episode is pretty darned cute, though. Kind of weird to see Pururin among her friends after episode 9, but the poses and expressions are just adorable when she's talking to Bobby. Did I hear it right that she wanted to play pirates? I could swear I heard I "kaizoku" in the dialogue.
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Post by Philip on Mar 29, 2012 18:28:15 GMT -5
Yes... all the town's adults were going to the neighboring town for a conference over the day. It might seem questionable to not leave a single adult to supervise them (especially with Gretel running around)... but then again, a lot of these children have shown themselves to be very reliable.... and the Forest Patrol might still have been around just in case.
As for #22, even though Bobby says he is running away from home (to live like a pirate!), I don't think the adults are viewing this as anything more than a picnic. The girls would definitely be coming back, and everyone must've expected that Bobby would too.
It's all part of upbringing I guess, being allowed to fend for yourself, even if only for a short while.
While Bobby wanted to be a pirate, Diana wanted to be a princess that had been abducted by pirates. =)
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Gunheart
Fisherman
So natural, religiously unkind...
Posts: 28
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Post by Gunheart on Apr 26, 2012 2:09:07 GMT -5
Whew, it's been a while. I saw 23 after my last post, but only now did I break down and watch 24. I think it was partly due to my dislike of the episode back when I saw it on tape, but I can't quite remember why.
Now, for 23, I have to admit...Mr. Puff was somehow...creepier than I remembered. Am I right in assuming the book was their mother's journal detailing a previous encounter? Or was it just a story book of some sort?
For 24, well, I'd like to start by saying I never quite liked the dormouse designs. The faces just have too many detailed markings for the show's stylized, simplistic style, so they're kind of jarring. I also don't mind admitting that the dad's tantrum really was surprisingly...scary. I have to ask what exactly Diana said to the daughter to make her conclude borrowing the jewels was the best course of action...or for that matter, what Hans was saying before angrily driving off...
On a further note, it's kind of funny to see how, when the characters each get their facial closeup in the intro, Johnny looks sad. Seeing how I've seen 24 episodes and he only seems to have a speaking role in about three of them, I can kind of see why...
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Post by Philip on May 9, 2012 18:07:17 GMT -5
Aaah... I love the supernatural feel of the Puff episode! It leaves a lot up for interpretation. Christine says that the story of Puff is something she dreamt up as a child, so a character like that can't possibly exist. At the end of the episode when they are watching the sunset, she does say that it feels like she saw the exact same scenery as a child, and Marcel suggests to Patty that "perhaps Mama met that traveler as well". As far as I know it's never explicitly said whether she actually did or not.
In #24, Diana bragged about having a diamond necklace, something she was sure Marie had never seen the likes of. When Marie says her father does have diamonds at their house, Diana says that unless she can prove it, she's a liar. This is what prompts Marie into borrowing the diamonds.
As for Mr. Konderick, I believe he says because he helped Mr Kaleto negotiate a deal for those diamonds with one of his own most highly esteemed customers, his reputation would be ruined if the customer found out the diamonds had been stolen. Thus, he is just as determined as Mr. Kaleto to track down the culprit and any accomplices, which prompts Diana into helping Marie and Patty.
Compared to most of Patty's classmates, Johnny actually gets a lot of screentime (he has a speaking role in 11 out of the 52 episodes), and is pretty much the star of the Maple Town movie as well.
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